philisophical values - rights.docx - SOCIO-POLITICAL...

SOCIO-POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES: RIGHTS, SOCIAL CONTRACT AND
UTALITARISM
Enlightenment philosophers
Reason as the primary source of authority and legitimacy
- Departure from idealism of ancient greek philosophers
Most advanced ideals of:
- Liberty
- Progress
- Tolerance
- Fraternity
- Constitutional government
- Separation of church and state
Social contract theories
Undermined monarchy and church, paving the way for political revolutions
Streams
Radical enlightenment philosophers
- Promoting democracy, liberty, freedom of expression and challenging religious
authority
o Thomas hobbes, john locke, rousseau
Accommodation philosophers
- Balance between reform and traditional systems of power and faith
o Mill
Conservative philosophers
- Counter-enlightenment
o Edmond burke
Enlightenment period
1620s (scientific revolution) – 1789 (french revolution)
Initially ideas spread in paris through publications and meetings at:
- Scientific academies
- Literary salons
- Coffee houses
Undermined authority of the monarchy and the church
- Paving the way for the political revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries
Thomas hobbes: security
Hobbes (1588-1649) lived through period of religious wars, he emphasised:
- Not religious happiness in heaven, but stability, peace and happiness on earth
His book leviathan (mortal god) argues that in a “state of nature” (without government)
humans live in a “state of war”
- Everyone has the right to do whatever required to defend themselves
- Everyone also has a right to transfer that right by entering into a social contract
agreeing not to harm each other

- Rights are transferred to a sovereign, given absolute power to make laws (therefore
above the law) and provide security and justice
- All have a duty to obey
Hobbes’ writings justify the divine right of kings (as representatives of god) and strong
government
Implication: managerialism
Assumption that organizations should be integrated by shared values expressed from a
single source of authority, legitimacy and decision-making...